


the least likely places

by ShippingEve



Category: Killing Eve (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Coffee Shops, Fluff, M/M, Opposites Attract, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23187193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShippingEve/pseuds/ShippingEve
Summary: You can find love where you least expect itNiko manages a coffee shop and Aaron is the customer he can't figure out
Relationships: Niko Polastri/Aaron Peel
Kudos: 9





	the least likely places

**Author's Note:**

> by special request

“Good morning, friends,” Niko greets his team. “Let’s make today another good one, shall we?”

“Bean team!” the employees cheer weakly, then go to their stations.

Niko Polastri isn’t thick; he knows it’s a silly cheer and the team only goes through with it begrudgingly. But he thinks fostering a sense of camaraderie among his employees is important, even if what they’re bonding over is “wow the manager is such a sap, isn’t he?”

Niko has established a great many traditions at the Covent Garden location of Whole Bean Coffee. Many traditions that are NOT in any way part of the guidelines given by corporate. Niko prefers to treat those guidlines as a template to build off of rather than law.

But if corporate got wind of the changes he’d made, they would not be happy about it. Bunch of stick-in-the-mud arses up at corporate. That was why Niko never hoped to ascend any higher than store manager. This is where he can make a real difference. Interact with the community. 

Before opening, he follows his own morning set up routine. Goes to check on the water filters. The garden outside. The small solar panel on the roof. Several changes he’s made to make the daily operations of the store more eco-friendly, that are absolutely not sanctioned by corporate (although he’d be dutifully petitioning them to roll out sustainable changes across all stores for years. Though he’s starting to think that the ‘Suggestion Box’ at HR really gets dumped right into the shredder.)

Then, he goes over to the Community Board. Regulations from corporate say that each location is permitted to have a small bulletin board of no more than one by two meters, for flyers and the like. Niko’s Community Board is not that. It dominates almost a full wall, almost five meters across, and every inch of it is full of flyers, ads, poetry, art, and any other creation customers wanted to share with the community. It also serves as the backdrop for Niko’s weekly open-mic nights, which he hosts past closing hours. Another thing he would get in a great deal for trouble for.

But, luckily, for all their blustering and their many strongly-worded emails, Corporate rarely come down to check on Niko’s store, and always with advance notice, so it’s not difficult to hide the incriminating evidence and pretend he’s a good rule-following drone. Not that Niko’s ashamed of what he’s done (he’s rather proud actually), but he doesn’t want to get fired, because his replacement would surely turn the store back into another bland extension of the brand name amoeba. A soulless husk. Good for nothing but a subpar four-pound coffee.

Once opening happens, he watches the morning rush. Steps in occasionally to help out when the milk gets low or the espresso machine won’t cooperate. But he loves to observe the people that come in. He knows many of them by name, and often spends upwards of ten minutes chatting with some regulars. That’s how you foster loyalty, and general happiness.

As the rush of commuters lightens up, Niko takes stock of the customers who have set up in the sitting area. A handful of long-time regulars, and one man that Niko has noticed a couple of times in the past few days, but hasn’t spoken with much at all yet.

He decides that he’s seen this man enough times to merit striking up a conversation.

Walking up to the table, he says a casual, friendly, “Good morning.”

The dark haired man looks up from his laptop to see who interrupted his work. He has perfectly round glasses and a dark red quarter zip sweater. He looks incredibly annoyed. He doesn’t say anything, only glares at Niko.

“Just wanted to say hello,” Niko continues sheepishly. “And ask what you’re working on?”

“That’s an amazingly personal question to ask a stranger,” the man says coolly. 

“I don’t like to be a stranger to customers in my shop,” Niko says, with a smile. “I’m Niko.” 

He extends a hand, but the man doesn’t shake it. “Your shop?” he says with disdain. “Do you own this entire chain of stores?”

“No,” Niko laughs. “I suppose it’s not technically ‘my’ shop. But I am the manager.”

“And?” The man snaps in a demanding tone.

“Well… I wanted to say, welcome. Since I’ve noticed you sitting here the past few days. And if you ever want a chat, I’m here.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” the man says, then resumes typing on his laptop.

Niko isn’t one to push. He can take a hint when someone clearly wants to be left alone.

As he resumes work, helping the employees behind the counter, he can’t help but glance over at the dark haired man every so often.

There’s something about him.

Niko can’t put his finger on it, but there’s something there.

He’ll figure it out eventually.


End file.
